Cotto to fight for fourth title vs. Martinez on Saturday

June 3, 2014

Updated 6:46 p.m.

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Miguel Cotto works out for the media in Hoboken, N.J., in preparation for Saturday's fight against Sergio Martinez for the WBC Middleweight Championship at Madison Square Garden. RICH SCHULTZ, GETTY IMAGES

Miguel Cotto works out for the media in Hoboken, N.J., in preparation for Saturday's fight against Sergio Martinez for the WBC Middleweight Championship at Madison Square Garden. RICH SCHULTZ, GETTY IMAGES

FIGHT OF THE WEEK

SERGIO MARTINEZ vs. MIGUEL COTTO

When: Saturday

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York

TV: PPV, 6 p.m.

Outlook: Cotto (38-4, 31 KOs), who has won titles at junior welterweight, welterweight and junior middleweight, now tries for a fourth title as he moves to middleweight. This will be his first time at middleweight (160), although the contracted weight is 159. Martinez (51-2-2, 28 KOs) has been out of the ring since April 2013. He's dealt with some injuries and has said he feels like his old self. Martinez hasn't lost a fight since a majority decision to Paul Williams in 2009. He avenged that loss by knockout in their rematch the following year.

Prediction: How Cotto's power carries up to middleweight will be a key factor in this fight, and whether Martinez truly is recovered from his injuries. Cotto has struggled against elite competition and appears rejuvenated with Freddie Roach in his corner. Cotto is 6 years younger and has the skill and pressure to take the fight out of Martinez, 39. The pick here is Cotto by decision.

Record in 2014: 12-4

DAMIAN CALHOUN

After ending training camp at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, Miguel Cotto packed and headed to his home away from the home to finish preparing for Saturday’s showdown with Sergio Martinez.

Cotto, a three-division world champion, will aim for a historic fourth title when he faces middleweight champion Sergio Martinez on Saturday night (PPV, $64.95 or $54.95) at Madison Square Garden, a place where they certainly know Cotto’s name.

Cotto, 33, has fought there eight times, going 7-1.

“You know, you go in there and you are going to win or you are going to lose,” Cotto said. “The last time I did not come out the winner (Dec. 1, 2012) but I always go in and do my best. I am glad I have the opportunity to go in and show the fans again what I can do.”

A victory over Martinez, 39, and Cotto (38-4, 31 KOs) will become the first Puerto Rican fighter to win titles in four weight classes. This will be his first fight at middleweight (159 is the contracted weight).

“It doesn’t mean that I am going to be better than Wilfredo Gomez, better than Félix Trinidad or better than all of the great champions that Puerto Rico has produced,” Cotto said, “but for me, it will be the greatest accomplishment of my career.”

Martinez’s reign as middleweight champion began in 2010 when he defeated Kelly Pavlik by unanimous decision. He was stripped of the title, but regained when he beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in 2012. He’s been inactive since April 2013, after a narrow victory over Martin Murray.

“This fight is right up there with Paul Williams and Kelly Pavlik, a very important fight in my career,” Martinez said. “This fight is bigger than the Chávez fight, which was just as important as Williams and Pavlik because of the timing of this fight because we are at a crucial point in our careers.”

Martinez’s prolonged inactivity was because of several injuries that have hampered him in recent years, including surgery on his right knee. He has also dealt with hand injuries and the assortment of problems that come with being a 39-year-old.

“The recuperation was very painful,” Martinez said. “I was on crutches for nine months and it is very hard to come back from that, but this is the road that I chose and I enjoy the achievement of coming back from something like this.

“Right now I am just the same as when there were no knee problems. I have overcome all obstacles.”

Since his sensational knockout victory over Paul Williams (2010) and a eighth-round stoppage of Serhiy Dzinziruk (2011), Martinez has needed some late-round magic in five consecutive fights. He had 11th-round stoppages over Darren Barker (2011) and Matthew Macklin (2012). He was narrowly ahead on the scorecards at the time.

Against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (2012), Martinez controlled the first 11 rounds, but was knocked down twice in the 12th before emerging with the victory. In his most recent fight, Martinez edged Martin Murray for a narrow unanimous decision.

He said he hasn’t felt this confident since his KO victory over Williams. Add in a list of concessions that the champion Martinez had to make for this fight, motivation shouldn’t be a problem.

“When I win I will get the universal respect,” Martinez said. “This is a very, very important fight, one of the biggest of my career. I do feel that I have earned respect from the boxing community but it will be universal after Saturday.”

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